ABSTRACT
AIM:
To investigate the effects of
dexmedetomidine (DEX) on acute
alcoholic hepatic
injury in
mice and to explore the possible mechanisms .
METHODS:
Kunming
mice (n=50) were randomly divided into 5 groups (n=10)
normal saline control (NS) group, acute
alcoholic hepatic
injury model (E) group, low-
dose (10μg/kg) DEX (E+L) group, medium-
dose (50 μg/kg) DEX (E+M) group and high-
dose (100 μg/kg) DEX (E+H) group.The
animals were sacrificed at 6 h after gavage of alcohol or
normal saline .The levels of
alanine aminotransferase ( ALT) , as-partate
aminotransferase (AST),
triglyceride (TG),
malondialdehyde (MDA),
glutathione (GSH) and
superoxide dis-mutase ( SOD) were measured .The
livers were removed for evaluation of histological characteristics and determining the content of
tumor necrosis factor-α( TNF-α) amd
interleukin-1β(
IL-1β) in the
liver tissues by
ELISA .The expression levels of
cytochrome P4502E1 (
CYP2E1) and nuclear factor -κB (NF-κB) in the
liver tissues were evaluated by
Western blot.
RESULTS:
Compared with NS group, the levels of ALT, AST and TG were obviously increased in E group , which were obviously decreased in E +M and E+H groups.Compared with NS group, the levels of TNF-α,
IL-1βand MDA were obviously increase in E group , which were obviously decreased in E +M and E+H groups.Compared with NS group, the activity of SOD and the content of GSH were obviously decreased in E group , which were obviously increased in E +M and E+H groups.Compared with NS group, the expression of
CYP2E1 and NF-κB was obviously increase in E group , which was obviously decreased in E +M and E+H groups.Compared with NS group ,
ethanol induced marked
liver histo- logical
injury, which was less pronounced in E +M and E+H groups.
CONCLUSION:
DEX has a protective effect on
mouse liver with acute
alcoholic injury by the involvement in the processes of antioxidation and antiinflammation , and its mechanism may be associated with the inhibition of
CYP 2E1 and NF-κB expression.